The University of Louisville softball team will open postseason play against North Carolina State in the first round of the Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Championship on May 6. The game is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Eastern Time and will be broadcast on the ACC Network.
This matchup marks an important opportunity for both teams as they begin their quest for the conference title. Louisville enters as the No. 5 seed after finishing the regular season with a 43-11 overall record and an 18-6 mark in conference play, while NC State holds the No. 12 seed with a 27-25 overall record and a return to tournament action for the first time since 2022.
Louisville has several standout performers this season, including Madison Pickens who leads with a .468 batting average, Chelsea Mack who ranks second nationally with 42 stolen bases, and Bri Despines contributing a .404 average and strong slugging numbers. The Cardinals also lead the ACC in stolen bases and triples, demonstrating offensive depth across their roster. On pitching, Anna Wise leads with a 3.19 ERA while Alyssa Zabala tops strikeouts at 95 over more than one hundred innings pitched.
NC State comes into this contest having split its season series against Louisville earlier this month but has struggled against ranked opponents throughout the year. Wynne Gore and Morgen Talley anchor their pitching staff; Talley leads with over one hundred strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .225 average. Offensively, Maia Townsend paces NC State hitters with a .343 average.
The championship tournament will feature live coverage from both ACC Network for early rounds and ESPN for Saturday’s final game. Tickets are available online, including all-session passes that cover all games through to Saturday’s championship matchup.
Six teams from the ACC are currently ranked among ESPN.com/USA Softball’s Top 25 poll, underscoring strong competition within this year’s tournament field.
